Dangerous Minds Chapter 34: Fantastic Four, an escaflowne fanfic

Fantastic Four

Allen looked at the crowd that sat before him. There was royalty from two other kingdoms, and hundreds of other important people. People he could notice were Beighn Doralford, Dryden Fassa, Dr. Millerna Aston, and so many others. He stood there with Van, and he talked to the king.

"Are you alright?"

"Just a little nervous."

"What's to be nervous about, Van? Dilandau is gone for good, Zaibach signed a peace treaty, everyone's in perfect health, everything has been catered, and you're marrying the most beautiful woman you ever laid eyes on. I'm happy for you, Van. I really am."

Allen smiled at the king reassuringly.

The music began to play and Allen was still looking at the musicians as the first bride made her entrance.

Van gawked as his breath was taken away.

"Van, what's so—"

Allen saw Hitomi. His heart must've stopped for about three seconds. She was the most beautiful he had ever seen her, and for a moment Allen wished he were marrying Hitomi.

All that changed when his bride came in. People gasped and began to whisper, but they all quieted down after Alena reached the altar.

The cleric came out and stood in front of the two couples for all to see.

"There really hasn't been much planned for the wedding ceremonies that will be held here today, but what has been planned is a little, unusual. Those same oddities can be mirrored into these people's lives. First, we'll start off by a word from a man who is not of many words…Lord Folken…Lacour…de Fanel."

Folken made his way to the podium and laid down a piece of paper.

"Years ago, I was practically at the grooms' throats in a war that would've torn this planet and my family apart. Now, my family is closer than ever before, with some new additions, like my son, Bren. It is so ironic how life turns out. I thought that this planet would've been destroyed years ago. But now Gaea not only survives, but it thrives. War happens. It's apart of life. People go to war, they come home, or not, whatever the case may be, and life goes on. Like with these four. These two couples have chosen their own paths in life to spend the rest of their lives together. They have decided they have gotten this far through their times of trial, so they have decided to face the rest of these trials together by joining together in marriage. I am happy for you all, and may your lives be full of the best of moments."

The cleric turned back to the crowd as Folken sat down.

"All of the brides and grooms have prepared something they'd like to say before I go on."

Van went first.

"I have something to say to you, Hitomi. Hitomi, I was a just a boy when I met you. I was young, and I didn't have the courage to fight a war. You know what gave me the courage? Your love. Your love for me strengthened my confidence and helped win the War of Fate. Your love…our love…changed the destiny of the entire planet of Gaea. If that's what two scared teenagers can do, can you imagine what those two same people can do as king and queen of Fanelia?"

Hitomi went next. She could hardly swallow what Van had just said.

"Before I met you, King Van, I was a scared, confused teenager who had just had her heart broken by another boy. You were my second chance at true love. Before I met you, I never quite felt like I was maturing enough. After I met you, I grew older, into young womanhood, but I had never truly reached my full maturity point. I was still that schoolgirl you once knew. Once I returned to you, I was pushed to the point where I was as good as any high-society woman, at least where I come from. I became a woman. One that is willing to dedicate her entire life to you."

Allen went next, not breaking the momentum.

"Alena, before I met you, I was a chivalrous, selfless man who always was concerned about the welfare of others. I also was a chauvinistic, lady-killing love machine who was always looking out for the next woman to be target of my so-called 'legendary charm'. When I met you, I couldn't possibly have swept you off your feet, because you had already done that to me. Since then I had no use for my old ways, and I learned to love a woman who could very easily be my equal. For that, I thank the heavens for you."

Alena finished it off, but she seemed a little affected by what Allen had said.

"Allen, prior to meeting you, I was a woman who had received very little love in her lifetime, yet I had so much love to give. On that momentous day that I fell from the sky, you took me, as I was, scars and all. You took me, loved me, not even caring who I was, who I had been, and what I was destined to do. And you showed me that there is someone out there for me. And that someone is you, Allen Schezar VII."

Alena just looked at Allen.

The cleric spoke up.

"Now is the part where the unifications take place. Repeat after me, Hitomi Kanzaki."

Hitomi was relieved that the cleric hadn't flubbed her name.

"I, Hitomi Kanzaki…"

"…take King Van Slanzer de Fanel…"

"…to be my lawfully wedded husband and king."

"…I will cherish him, and love him…"

"…through sickness and health…"

"…war and peace…"

"…life and death…"

"…and love and lust."

"'Till death do us part."

"I, King Van Slanzer de Fanel…"

"…take Hitomi Kanzaki…"

"…to be my lawfully wedded wife and queen."

"I will cherish her, and love her…"

"…through sickness and health…"

"…war and peace…"

"…life and death…"

"…and love and lust."

" 'Till death do we part."

The cleric looked up at the crowd.

"If anyone can think of any reason why these two should not united in matrimony, speak now, or forever hold their peace."

Not one person spoke a word.

"That will do. Could someone please fetch the Royal Wedding Bands and the Queen's Tiara?"

Hitomi had to suppress the urge to gasp in surprise.

The rings came along with the tiara, and Hitomi had to suppress it yet again when she saw them.

"Take the ring, Hitomi," the cleric said. "Then slide the ring on Van's finger. After that, say, 'With this ring, I thee wed.'"

Hitomi picked it up, and held it with one hand, and with the other, she reached for Van's right hand and pulled it out in front of her. She slid the ring on his ring finger, closed his hand, lifted it up between them and held it with both hands.

"With this ring, I thee wed, " Hitomi said to him.

"Take the ring, Hitomi," the cleric said. "Then slide the ring on Van's finger. After that, say, 'With this ring, I thee wed.'"

"Now, it's your turn, King Van," the cleric said.

Van picked it up, and held it with one hand, and with the other, he reached for Hitomi's right hand and pulled it out in front of him. He slid the ring on her ring finger, closed her hand, lifted it up between them and held it with both hands.

"With this ring, I thee wed, " Van said to her.

"According to Fanelian decree, anyone who marries a king regardless of social status, shall become a queen. The tiara, please."

Someone handed him the Queen's Tiara, and he turned to Hitomi.

"Hitomi Kanzaki, you are the one the King has chosen as his Queen. Regardless of where you came from, you are now Queen of Fanelia."

The cleric placed the tiara on her head.

"King Van you may now kiss your new Queen."

Hitomi couldn't believe it. She was married to the man of her dreams, after all these years!

Van's lips touched the newly crowned queen's, as tears of joy streamed down her face.

The crowd went wild

When they broke off, Van noticed her crying.

"Don't cry, Hitomi, or you'll look terrible for the rest of the day!"

"I can't help it!" she laughed.

The cleric began to try and get everyone's attention.

"Excuse me, everyone!"

They quieted down.

"There's another wedding going on here, if you haven't noticed."

"Repeat after me, Alena Garodrou."

"I, Alena Garodrou…"

"…take Allen Crusade Schezar VII…"

"…to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"…I will cherish him, and love him…"

"…through sickness and health…"

"…war and peace…"

"…life and death…"

"…and love and lust."

"'Till death do us part."

The cleric turned to Allen.

"Repeat after me, Allen. I, Allen Crusade Schezar VII…"

"I, Allen Crusade Schezar VII…"

"…take Alena Garodrou…"

"…to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"I will cherish her, and love her…"

"…through sickness and health…"

"…war and peace…"

"…life and death…"

"…and love and lust."

" 'Till death do we part."

The cleric looked up at the crowd.

"If anyone can think of any reason why these two should not united in matrimony, speak now, or forever hold their peace."

"I can!" Beighn Doralford shouted, and stood up so all could see.

Allen was furious at Beighn's audacity to ruin his wedding day.

"And what is the reason, Sir Doralford?"

"By decree of the Heavenly Knights of Asturia, no Knight can marry a woman who is of disgraceful birth and continue their membership to the organization!"

"You're making this up, Doralford!" Allen said.

"Oh, am I? If you read Chapter Four, Section Three, Article Nine, you wouldn't think so, would you?"

Allen had forgotten about that regulation. He had totally forgotten about it.

That regulation was the last one listed in the chapter!

Doralford was making him choose between the woman he loves and the organization that had supported him for so long as a swordsman.

I'm not only going to marry her because I love her, I'm going to marry her just to spite him!

"Consider this my resignation, you shameful excuse for a knight."

Beighn's jaw dropped in shock at the man's nasty remark and sat down in dismay.

"Then it is settled. Could someone please fetch the wedding bands?"

The rings arrived, both looking just as beautiful as King and Queen's bands. "Take the ring, Alena," the cleric said. "Then slide the ring on Allen's finger. After that, say, 'With this ring, I thee wed.'"

Alena picked it up, and held it with one hand, and with the other, she reached for Allen's right hand and pulled it out in front of her. She slid the ring on his ring finger, closed his hand, lifted it up between them and held it with both hands.

"With this ring, I thee wed, " Alena said to him.

"Now, it's your turn, Sir Schezar," the cleric said.

Allen picked it up, and held it with one hand, and with the other, he reached for Alena's right hand and pulled it out in front of him. He slid the ring on her ring finger, closed her hand, lifted it up between them and held it with both hands.

"With this ring, I thee wed, " Allen said to her.

"Allen, you may now kiss the bride."

Allen kissed his new wife with passion, but pulled away at a respectable moment.

Alena smiled at him.

"I now pronounce you all married under the heavenly bodies of the Solar Sun, Lunar Moon, and Phantom Moon."

The crown went completely wild.

The two couples made their way out the room as they tossed confetti on them.